Hamas declares security alert in Gaza

GAZA CITY: The Islamist Hamas movement ruling the Gaza Strip on Saturday put all security forces on a 24-hour state of alert after two days of deadly clashes with Israel, a spokesman said. "The interior ministry has decreed a state of alert. All security forces must work 24 hours in 24, even civil defence and medical services, to protect and save the people targeted by the Zionist occupiers," ministry spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said. The deadliest confrontation between Israel and Hamas since the 22-day new year war in 2008-2009 has taken the lives of 17 Palestinians in the Gaza enclave since Thursday as militant attacks are swiftly followed by Israeli air raids. Among the dead in Gaza was Tayssir Abu Sneneh, a chief of Hamas military wing the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, he said. "The Zionist enemy insists on attacking Palestinians and spilling their blood as the internati...